grafted tomatoes

[smallblueplanet]

The obvious difference being that Jeannine saw the two different sets of plants first hand, and the grafted ones had more fruit on. I don't think T&M are going to fiddle their own trials....

Goodness me no, how could you suggest such a thing?

I was suggesting that its unlikely they're going to show you bad results - they're marketing a product - they're not gonna say 'Bad food sold here' are they?

[Liz and Steve]

I thought stuff like fruit was grafted to 'reduce vigour' ie grow a smaller tree?

To quote the RHS:

'The purpose of grafting is to combine one plant's qualities of flowering or fruiting (scion plant) with another plant, which has qualities of vigour and resistance (the rootstock).'

'Grafting is expensive but most fruit trees are propagated this way because:
- grown on their own root systems many would be excessively vigorous.
- cultivars will not usually breed true from seed.
- a fruiting plant can be produced in a shorter period of time.
- some weak-growing cultivars can be invigorated.'

So there we go - taller, shorter, healthier, more reliable, quicker fruiting - you pays your money, you takes your choice!

Steve

[smallblueplanet]

Or

Reasons for grafting:

* Dwarfing: To induce dwarfing or cold tolerance or other characteristics to the scion. Most apple trees in modern orchards are grafted dwarf or semi-dwarf trees planted at high density.
* Ease of propagation: Because the scion is difficult to propagate vegetatively by other means, such as by cuttings. In this case, cuttings of an easily rooted plant are used to provide a rootstock.
* Hybrid breeding: To speed maturity of hybrids in fruit tree breeding programs.
* Hardiness: Because the scion has weak roots or the roots of the stock plants have roots tolerant of difficult conditions.
* Sturdiness: In order to provide a strong, tall trunk for certain ornamental shrubs and trees.
* Pollen source: To provide pollenizers. For example, in tightly planted or badly planned apple orchards of a single variety, limbs of crab apple may be grafted at regularly spaced intervals onto trees down rows, say every fourth tree.
* Repair: To repair damage to the trunk of a tree which would prohibit nutrient flow, such as the stripping of the bark by rodents which completely girdles the trunk.
* Changing cultivars: To change the cultivar in a fruit orchard to a more profitable cultivar, called topworking.
* Curiosities: A practice sometimes carried out by gardeners is to graft related potatoes and tomatoes so that both are produced on the same plant, one above ground and one underground.

Grafting - Wikipedia

[Snadger]

Snadger, I love it! Could work... I think??? I'm off to research how to have a go!

Not could...............does!! A long time ago I did it myself! Can't remember what varieties I used but I remember getting tomatoes but very few spuds.

Now with the new 'potato leafed tomatoes' it should be quite a simple task!

For proof, look here:-

Potatos

[smallblueplanet]

Yep thats certainly a 'curiosity' - not to my taste though Snadger! Wouldn't the pots be providing the 'food' for the toms to grow?

[drichard12]

YouTube video on grafting Toms YouTube - grafting tomatoes

[smallblueplanet]

and a bit more here

YouTube - Grafted Tomatoes for Greenhouse Production

[greg77]

and a bit more here

YouTube - Grafted Tomatoes for Greenhouse Production

thanks for the replys all,and the welcome,was away for few days and surprised to find the interest.as a youngster i grafted huge fields of roses at the famous mcgready nurseries in summer holidays for 4 pound a week. think i,ll try the tomatoes and let you know if theyre worth it. thanks

[Snadger]

Yep thats certainly a 'curiosity' - not to my taste though Snadger! Wouldn't the pots be providing the 'food' for the toms to grow?

Potatoes are usually propogated by tubers, tomatoes are grown for their fruit which has the seed for next years crop. Either way, the plant wins, so there shouldn't be any conflict or bias for one or the other?
I think the tubers are more of a storage to perpetuate the species rather than a means of supplying nutrients to the plants. The nutrients will be absorbed and utilised from the leaves and root hairs just as any other plant.

Thats the way I see it anyway!

I'm away for a lie down in a darkened room now!